


Everything So Far

by moonlitmantras



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alive Kuchel Ackerman, Alive Mr. Smith, Alternate Universe - Baseball, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Big Gay Love Story, Carnival, Coming of Age, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Smut, Everyone Is Alive, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Growing Old Together, Growing Up Together, Happy Ending, How Do I Tag, I gave Erwin's parents names, Kenny is a grumpy uncle, Levi's mom and Erwin's mom are best friends, M/M, Nonbinary Hange Zoë, Pinegrove-Band, Slow Burn, Smut, We're gonna have a good time, that's nothing new, the story they deserve
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-24
Updated: 2021-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-26 18:54:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30110484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlitmantras/pseuds/moonlitmantras
Summary: Erwin Smith and Levi Ackerman have known each other since they were 8 years old and while they are completely devoted to each other, will they understand that what they feel is love instead of friendship? Only time will tell, this is their story so far.
Relationships: Hange Zoe / Yelena, Levi Ackerman/Erwin Smith, Moblit Berner & Hange Zoë





	Everything So Far

**Author's Note:**

> Hello hello!  
> This has been a huge project of mine in the making, I've been really tedious about it because it's a story that is very close to my heart. .･ﾟﾟ･(／ω＼)･ﾟﾟ･.
> 
> \\( ˙▿˙ )/A FEW THINGS BEFORE YOU READ\\( ˙▿˙ )/  
> All the Chapter titles and the title of the fic, are songs from the band Pinegrove, so I suggest you give them a listen! Additionally, this is one story about the relationship between Erwin and Levi, while it does go in chronological order, time skips so keep that in mind!  
> This is solely to fill the void and soften the blow of the heartbreak the Attack On Titan fandom has to endure. We out here suffering so we deserve some fluff with mild angst and a sprinkle of smut. 
> 
> Chapter Updates are scheduled for every other Wednesday! (⊃｡•́‿•̀｡)⊃━✿✿✿✿✿✿
> 
> Follow me on IG & Tiktok for updates!  
> @/moonlit.mantras
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> ♫•*¨*•.¸¸♪  
> "Well i love my neighbor  
> I love his determined behavior  
> If it were me i probably  
> Might have just stayed there"

The flowers on the cherry blossom trees have officially begun to abandoned their pink color as the warm spring season has made its appearance. The Smith family enjoys a day inside with an uneventful weekend up ahead. Mr. Smith has just returned from teaching abroad and has found a comfortable position in his office. He blissfully watches the trees bend from the slight breeze in his front yard, a handful of white petals drift in the wind that eventually decorate the grassy floor along with the cars in the driveway. A few neighborhood kids are playing amongst themselves as their new neighbors to their right empty a moving van. He sighs in his peaceful state of mind until an adolescent voice interrupts his silent exsistence. 

“Dad, when I grow up I want to be just like you.”

“Oh? And why is that?”

“Huh? Why wouldn’t I? You’re strong, smart and you get to travel to all kinds of different places!”

Mr. Smith smiles at his son who made himself comfortable on his lap. He adjusts his glasses with his index finger as two large blue eyes stare outside the window. He watches the small clone of himself, his iris’ vibrate with a curiousness that could only bloom in the rich soils of early childhood. 

“Dad, what’s it like to go to all those places that have a lot of mountains?” The boy asked with a tilt of his head, his feet dangle between the older’s long legs as his eyes beam with curiosity. 

Mr. Smith lets out a nostalgic breath as he reminisces about the list of places he has traveled that had mountains, “Well, mountains act as the guardians of the land. They stand tall and silent, while many creatures and plant life live within their crevices. Being on a mountain feels like being picked up by the hand of a God.”

Erwin watched his father closely, soaking up every word and every piece of imagery that he could. His mouth hung slightly ajar as his Dad continued his stories of the places Erwin longed to go. His father is his hero, his mentor, his best friend, and he would do almost anything to be like his Dad. Every day he attempts to walk, talk, and even eat and drink like his father. His mother teases him when he tries to imitate her husband by holding a coffee cup, too large for his hands, that's filled with apple juice instead of coffee. 

“One day I’m going to stand on the tallest mountain!” Erwin exclaimed with a bright smile while punching his small fist into the air.

His father laughed, a heartfelt bellowing laugh, “you say you’re going to hike Mt. Everest? Now, that would be a sight to see.”

Erwin gazed upon his father in full seriousness and pinched eyebrows, “Mt. Everest is the tallest?” His father nods with a knowing smile, “then it’s settled! I will stand on Mt. Everest and give my heart to the Gods!”

His father laughed again, clutching his stomach at his son’s naive exclamation, but a part of him believed that if anyone were to make such a declaration, it would be his son. Nonetheless, if there were any other who would have pure intent of following through, again it would be his son. 

“My, it sounds like you are having a bit too much fun in here,” Mrs. Smith comments as she makes her way into the study, “and what is the meaning of all this laughter? I presume it is you who is at fault.” She says with a smile while poking her son in the stomach. Her golden hair sprawls across her shoulders while her floral patterned white dress sways with her body's movements. 

Erwin giggles at the ticklish touch, “I am guilty!”

She laughs, a soft laugh that is as beautiful as a bird’s song, “my word, I will have to think very hard about your charges, Mister Erwin Smith, for you cannot be trusted!”

Erwin plops off of his father’s lap, backing away from his playful mother, “You can’t catch me! I have to climb the tallest mountain! I have to climb Mt. Everest!” He declares with such confidence and unwavering tenacity paired with childish giggles. 

Mrs. Smith gasps, her hand gently lays over her mouth, “Mt. Everest? I must lock you up this instant! I can’t bear the thought of my precious child embarking on such a dangerous journey!” Her son giggles, to which she mirrors as she chases after him, “you are a criminal for bestowing such worry upon me little one!”

Erwin tries to evade his mother with consistent giggles that ring through Mr. Smith’s study. He tries to use his father’s desk as protection but his mother is too quick. She scoops him up with both her arms underneath both of his armpits, she nuzzles her head in his neck and gives him a raspberry. He lashes around in her clutch, wiggling his legs to gain any sort of advantage while laughing with little to no control. He begs and hollers, crying for her to stop her tickling nonsense. 

“This is your punishment! Every day you will be punished with endless tickles until you forget this dangerous expedition!” She exclaims while tickling underneath his armpits with her well-manicured nails. 

“Mo-mot-mother! P-please! I-Ahaha! I beg you-st-stop!” Erwin’s cheeks are decorated with a hue of pink while tears formed from happiness glide down them.

“D-Dad!” Erwin calls out for his father, who has swiveled his chair around to calmly watch his wife torture his son, “Dad! H-help!”

His father raises his thick, blonde eyebrows, “you wish to involve me?” He huffs in disbelief and waves his hand, “that would be foolish, son! I will not fall to the wrath of your mother!”

As his father denies him any aid, his mother sits in one of the floral-patterned armchairs, never loosening her grip on her son. He needlessly tries to get away from her but he fails over and over again. With a heaving chest and flushed cheeks, he gives up, relinquishing all power to his mother.

“Now, say you won’t do such a dangerous thing, my beautiful son,” she pleas at her child while pressing her cheek to his temple as she begins to gently sway back and forth, “promise me you will never put yourself in such danger.”

Erwin catches his breath, adjusting himself so he can sit comfortably on his mothers’ lap with his back against her chest, “I want to see the world Mama, what better way to do it than be on the tallest mountain?”

“But what will I do while you climb? I’ll be worried sick.”

“Mama,” the boy pulls her arms away with ease this time so he can turn to face her, “do you think I am strong?”

His mother nodded while his father watched from a distance with loving eyes.

“Do you think that I am brave?”

She nods again, with a smile and watering eyes.

“Do you trust me?”

Another nod as she caresses his plump cheek with her thumb, wiping away any tears that were left behind.

“Then there is no need to worry, because I will become strong enough to climb without a rope, brave enough to sleep through the cold and lonely nights, and most of all, trust that I will always come back.” He smiles brightly with pride as he watches his mom, “I will see the world, no matter what but I will always come back to you and dad.”

Mrs. Smith is speechless at her 8-year-old sons’ eloquence, his father suffers the same silence while their eyes match each other in wetness. Erwin has always been a bright child with unwavering confidence, a deep well of knowledge and curiosity. Sometimes Mr. and Mrs. Smith speculated that he is a reincarnation of famous adventurers or commanders in the army. 

“Alright, but first can you answer my question? If I am satisfied I will no longer try to stop you.”

Erwin watches his mother with the same intensity as his father, he trusts every word they say and hangs onto it like it is his only lifeline.

“How did I get so lucky?”

Erwin’s cheeks blush, Mr. Smith can’t stop the smile that forms, and Mrs. Smith clutches her son close to her chest like he is seconds from floating away from her forever.

“For I am not Irish yet my luck never seems to run out!” She laughs, Erwin joins her and his father watches from a distance with adoration in his blue iris’.

“Maybe Dad is secretly a leprechaun and I am the gold,” Erwin attempts to whisper while giggling with his mother.

His father lets out a loud gasp and delivers a hard open palm slam on his desk, earning the attention of his wife and son, “who told you?!”

Erwin can’t stop laughing as his father becomes dramatic at his son’s, supposed, discovery, “my dear Elayne, we must wipe his memory this instant! How could he have figured my deepest and darkest secret?! Blasphemy! Witchcraft!”

Elayne plays along with a giggling son in her lap, “my clever son, how did you figure? Does your father resemble a leprechaun?” Erwin could not halt his laughter but found the strength to respond with a nod to his mother.

His father stood up abruptly, acting as if his son had just offended him, “this tomfoolery mustn’t go unnoticed! Elayne, get the feathers, we will torture him with infinite tickles until he forgets my true identity!”

“No-hoho!” Erwin laughed as his father came closer to him and his mother. He held out his hand in an attempt to ward him off, “you can’t make me forget!”

Just as Mr. Smith is about to grab Erwin from his wife’s hold, a chime rings through the house, notifying the family that someone is at their door. They pause for a moment, quieting their giggles as if someone is attempting to listen in on their conversation.

Elayne looks at her husband with curious eyes, “Were you expecting someone?”

Erwin watches his mother and father closely in silence, his curiosity for who's at the door increases every second. It’s not very often that they have guests.

Mr. Smith shakes his head no before making his way to the door. Erwin and Elayne follow behind with their hands intertwined. Mr. Smith peeks through the peephole and makes a face that Erwin can’t quite understand before he opens the door. Erwin and his mother watch from the entrance of his office like they are timid deer in a forest in the presence of a predator.

“I’m so sorry for intruding. I just wanted to introduce myself, we’re your neighbors that just moved in next door.”

Erwin heard a woman’s voice that was soft but had an edge to it, he could tell just from her voice that she was different. She sounded soft, but sharp, which made Erwin curious about what face matched the sound. 

He watches his father’s shoulders relax while holding the handle of the door with a nonchalant stance, “not to worry, you aren’t intruding, I’m Leon Smith.” Erwin watches as his father reaches his free hand out to where he can’t see. Once his father returns he glances over at him and his mother with a warm smile, motioning for them to come to join him at the wooden door.

Erwin is eager, but his mother tightens her grip on his hand so he is firmly held at her side. She can be a cautious woman, especially over her son, which at times irritates him. He is impatient and wildly curious, and she is as protective as a lioness.

“This is my wife, Elayne,” Mr. Smith says as they come from behind, he drapes his arm across Elayne's shoulders while giving a welcoming smile, “and my son, Erwin.” He glances at his son before returning his attention to the woman on the other side of the threshold.

Erwin gazes upon the woman at the door, she’s not very tall in fact she's very tiny and she has long black hair that reaches her waist. She’s beautiful with her light-colored eyes and small stature. She’s nothing like Erwin’s tall, broad-shouldered and blonde family.

“It’s lovely to meet you, I’m Kuchel and this...,” she looks down, Erwin follows her gaze to find a boy that is a little shorter than him, “...is my son Levi.”

Levi has the same colored eyes as his mom, along with his hair that comes to the bottom of his neck that’s split down the middle. His skin tone matches hers as well, he looks like a doll with an interesting look in his eyes. Erwin notices the lack of wrinkles in his grey button-up shirt, along with his black shorts and he wonders how that's possible considering Erwin's shirts seem to always be wrinkled no matter what he does. Erwin watches as he hides behind the protection of his mother’s leg. Erwin thinks he’s rather small for someone his age but he doesn't dwell on it for too long because he's always been the "tall" kid in his age group.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both and welcome to the neighborhood.” Elayne smiles at Kuchel before peering at the timid child, “Hello Levi,” Elayne says as she comes to her knees so she is eye level with both of the boys, “this is my son Erwin, would you like to be his friend? I promise we don’t bite.” She laughs softly with an outstretched hand, Kuchel echoes her giggle and tries to move to the side but Levi moves with her like they are fused together.

“Levi, it’s okay, there’s no need to be scared. It would be nice to have a friend, don’t you think?”

Levi pokes his head out and, apprehensively, takes hold of Elayne’s hand by only grabbing her index finger and giving it a soft shake before pulling away. Erwin curiously watches the boy's every move, he’s never seen a child move with such caution and calculation. Erwin notices that the boy's fingernails are really clean, unlike his, he finds it a little unusual.

Erwin takes a few steps forward, surprising Levi to clutch his mother’s leg a little tighter, “do you like to climb trees?”

Levi gives the blonde a confused look, giving nothing else but silence and an arched eyebrow. The adults watch in silence, Kuchel wears a surprised face because not many are brave enough to approach Levi. Levi has unique interests and specific needs that are quite different from other children, so much that he doesn’t have any friends. It also doesn’t help that his relaxed face takes on a glaring expression so most kids don't believe that he is friendly.

Erwin takes another step forward, “because we have a lot of trees in our backyard, some of them have fruits that we can eat!”

“Trees are dirty,” Levi states with a sharp tone, “they have bugs on them.”

Erwin takes a moment to think about Levi’s statement because he’s never thought about things like that. He doesn’t necessarily care about bugs or dirt and he’s never met someone, other than his mother, who has. He ponders for a moment, being careful of what to say next so he doesn’t scare the boy off. He knows he has the potential to make a friend and since friends come hard to find for Erwin due to the depth of his insightfulness, he doesn’t want to mess this up. 

“I don’t think the trees in my backyard have bugs on them,” Erwin states after a long moment of thinking.

“All trees have bugs on them,” Levi argues.

Erwin shakes his head, “nope! Not mine! C’mon, I can show you!” Erwin ignores every social cue given to him and grabs Levi’s hand, taking off through his house while dragging the smaller in tow. Levi wants to release himself from the blonde’s grip but Erwin holds him tightly and basically carries him like he weighs nothing at all.

“Erwin-!” Elayne attempts to go after them, but Kuchel interrupts with a soft smile.

“Oh it’s okay, I was just thinking that this is perfect for Levi,” she laughs as her cheeks flush, “Levi is a unique kid, I’m kind of relieved to find someone who isn’t afraid to push him a little out of his comfort zone.”

“I’m sorry he just took off like that, Erwin can be...well...,” Elayne shrugs with a laugh and flushed cheeks as she comes to her feet, “would you like some tea? You can see for yourself that we mean no harm and our backyard is plenty safe, I assure you.”

Kuchel scratches the back of her head with minor hesitation, “uh, well, I actually still have some unpacking to still do…”

“Oh come, take a break,” Elayne insists while grabbing Kuchel’s hand, leading her further into the house, “what kind of tea do you like? I have this new ginger blend that is perfect over ice on a day like this one. You’ll be so refreshed that you’ll be able to unpack with ease. I have fresh lemons as well!”

Mr. Smith watches as Elayne mirrors her son as Kuchel falls to her insistence. He smiles as Elayne radiates excitement with her bright smile and long golden hair, he feels a moment of relief. Elayne doesn’t have many friends either and he worries that she feels lonely when he’s gone for an extended amount of time. He thinks that Kuchel could be a good asset for her. Just as he’s about to close the door he notices their moving van in the driveway and decides to check on their belongings. He wants to make sure there aren’t things laying about, ready for the taking. 

“Now, now, this shit ain’t for sale,” a tall and lanky man, with a peculiarly shaped hat, grumbles from the inside of the truck. He looked like he had been taking a break by sitting on the couch that was taking up space inside the van. His cheeks were chiseled with barely any meat on them and his scowl reminded Leon of the boy that’s playing with his son in his backyard.

Leon lets out a breath from being startled by the tall figure, “oh! My apologies, I was just checking to make sure nothing was out in the open since Kuchel and Levi were abducted by my wife and son.” He says with a laugh before realizing the depth of what he had just said, “I mean, not literally, we didn’t-”

“Calm yourself, I know what you meant.” He says with a wave of his hand, “Well, since you’re here and feeling oh so generous, do you mind helping me with this couch? The pipsqueak and my sister aren’t much help as far as muscle goes.” Leon swallows as the intimidating figure comes to the edge of the van and reaches his boney hand out, “names Kenny, you?”

Leon takes his hand with a firm grip and shakes it, “Leon Smith.”

“Alright Leon, I’ll pay you in whatever alcohol you fancy for helpin’ me out,” Kenny murmurs, “although I gotta say all we have is whisky.”

Leon laughs as he rolls his sleeves up, “I’m not much of a drinker, don’t worry about it.”

Kenny huffed as he took one side of the couch, Leon the other. Kenny couldn’t help but notice the hint of mischief in the tall, blonde’s smile. Kenny doesn’t look too much into it but he does feel a little unnerved. Leon is unapologetically helpful but Kenny can see that there’s an endless stream of thoughts behind those blue eyes. He finds himself mildly intimidated. 

:｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆

“See, I told you there were bugs,” Levi grumbles from the bottom of the tree, inspecting the bark closely with crossed arms and pinched eyebrows, “they’re everywhere. It’s disgusting.”

Erwin watches Levi from above as he swings his legs from the branch he’s managed to prop himself on, “okay, so maybe I was wrong, but they’re really hard to notice and they don’t bug you if you don’t bug them.”

“That is not true,” Levi argues while glaring up at Erwin, “I try every day to avoid bugs and leave them alone, and somehow they still end up on me or in the house.” He shivers at the handful of memories that flash through his head as he backs away from the tree.

Erwin laughs, “you’re funny, Levi. I don’t think I’ve met anyone like you.”

“Well, I’ve met a lot of people like you.”

Erwin jumps down from the tree and tilts his head at Levi, “how so?”

Levi backs away, acting as if he is examining his nails, “you don’t seem to care about things like dirt and germs. Most kids are like that. It’s gross.” He shivers at the thought, scowling at Erwin as if the boy had just insulted his dead grandmother.

Erwin laughs while attempting to grab one of the apples off of one of the lower branches, “well I don’t _like_ to get dirty, I just don’t mind it. Isn’t it fun to just do things without caring about what happens?”

“No.”

With a big jump, he successfully grabs one of the red apples that is ripe enough to eat. He uses his white shirt to haphazardly get rid of the dirt or any little critters that managed to hold on, “why not?”

“Because germs make you sick and dirt is gross, weirdo.” Levi says with an arched eyebrow and judging eyes, “you’re not going to eat that, are you?”

Erwin examines it with a mischievous smile, “Do you want it?” He holds the apple out to Levi to which he backs away like Erwin just offered him a pile of dirt. Erwin shrugs then takes a large bite out of the red fruit.

Levi gags and scrunches his nose as he watches Erwin chew, “you didn’t even clean it!”

Erwin lifts an eyebrow, confused at Levi’s declaration, “yesh I did.” He says through chewing while some of the juices from the apple drip down his chin. He quickly wipes it away with the back of his hand.

Levi’s face contorts into disgust, “no you didn’t! You just wiped it on your shirt! And don’t talk with your mouth full. I don’t need to see your chewed-up food. And now your hand is sticky because you used it as a napkin. _Ugh._ ”

Erwin looks down at his now dirtied shirt then back at Levi before swallowing his bite, “yeah, that’s cleaning it. I got the dirt off and there weren’t any bugs and when I take a bath later I won’t be sticky anymore.” 

Levi shakes his head in protest, “no, you didn’t use water. I can still see some dirt on it! And now your shirt is dirty and it’s white! Tch.”

Erwin looks down at the dirt on his shirt then back at Levi and laughs, “you’re weird, Levi.”

Levi huffs and heads towards the house, stomping his little feet in frustration. The thought of Erwin eating the apple right off the tree is enough to make him throw up and he no longer wants any part of this dirt-filled escapade. If he could wash his eyeballs and his memory with soap, he would.

“Hey! Wait!” Erwin cries as he runs to catch up to Levi, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it.”

Levi stops in his tracks, Erwin nearly runs into him and now they’re facing each other. Levi is glaring up at Erwin and for a moment Erwin is a little scared of him, even though he towers over him. Erwin thinks he could take Levi in strength but at the same time, he thinks he should avoid any kind of physical altercation at all costs. Levi has an overpowering aura, even if he doesn’t have the height to match, and Erwin thinks that’s far more dangerous. 

“Don’t lie, you do think I’m weird. Almost everyone does.” 

Erwin blinks as a flash of embarrassment crosses Levi’s features, “well okay, yeah you are weird but so am I, right?” Levi hesitantly makes eye contact with a beaming Erwin, “I don’t care if you don’t like to get dirty and I think you’re really funny! So don’t leave...” 

Levi watches Erwin as if he’s waiting for the punchline of the joke, but Erwin just smiles at him and continues to eat his dirty apple with no hesitation. Erwin doesn’t take back what he said and he doesn’t push any further, Levi doesn’t know what to think of him. Levi doesn’t have many friends because most kids can’t relate to him, but neither can Erwin, and yet...

Before Erwin can take another bite, Levi snatches it out of his hands, leaving him with an open mouth and no apple.

“Please just run it under water or else I really will throw up,” Levi grumbles before giving the fruit back, “and then...I would...like to try it…” Levi doesn’t make eye contact with the grinning blonde in front of him, he’s too embarrassed and overwhelmed. He usually doesn’t get this far with other kids and there’s definitely never been a time where someone _chased_ after him.

Erwin doesn’t say anything as he notices the redness in Levi’s ears, but his smile illustrates the happiness he feels about his newly formed friendship. He makes his way into his kitchen where his mom and Kuchel are enjoying a cup of tea at the dining table. Levi follows behind him with a permanent scowl and flushed cheeks. Erwin quietly washes the apple in the sink, making sure that he gets every spot so there’s no trace of dirt left. He notices that he’s excited, but he doesn’t know why, he just knows that his heart is hammering in his chest.

He thinks he's excited about multiple things, one being that Levi is actually giving him a chance and he’s going to do his best to make Levi as comfortable as possible. Also, he likes the idea of having a friend right next door, it means they can play almost whenever they want and Erwin has always wanted to know what sleepovers are like.

He turns around to find Levi talking to his mom, and Erwin’s mom is saying something to him with a smile. Erwin can’t make out the words or hear anything they’re saying because Levi is _smiling._

Erwin finds himself in a trance as Levi’s smile takes up every thought in his head. The sight before him makes him curious as to what makes Levi smile so brightly. Is it his mom? The smile on Kuchel’s face mirrors Levi’s so Erwin comes to the conclusion that his mom is the main source for Levi’s happiness. He tells himself that he wants to do something that makes him the reason for such a reaction. It’s not very often that there’s an opportunity for Erwin to make friends so he wants to do his best to be successful with Levi. He doesn’t know why he feels so passionate about making this kid happy to be around him, but he doesn’t dwell on it any further because he’s 8 and he has things to do.

He makes his way over and hands Levi the now very clean apple, “here, I scrubbed it extra to make sure there’s no dirt, I promise.”

Levi looks at Erwin with a skeptical stare, Kuchel lets out a small laugh, “wow, Levi. That’s so nice of him and that apple looks delicious and clean, you can see your reflection in it! If you don’t eat it, I will have to steal it.”

Levi, cautiously, looks at his mother then back at the fruit before taking it, “thanks…” He says before taking a much smaller bite than Erwin. Erwin watches as his eyes light up while a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth and he becomes satisfied with the reaction. Erwin tells himself that he will no longer eat or give any fruit that isn’t thoroughly cleaned. 

After Levi finishes the fruit Erwin insists that he show him his room because Erwin has bunkbeds and to him, that's really important. He encourages Levi to go on the top bunk because why wouldn't you? Levi is hesitant but he manages the ladder with ease. Every once in a while Erwin notices him scrunching his nose at the ceiling and for the first time, Erwin sees some cobwebs. 

"Sorry," Erwin sheepishly says with blushed cheeks as he crosses his legs, sitting across from the other boy.

Levi glances between Erwin, the ceiling, the bed, the contents of his room and gives a small shrug of his shoulders, "could use some work, but it's not bad."

Erwin perks up because he was expecting to be criticized or shamed for the state of his room, however, he feels like he just received a compliment, "thanks," he grins from ear to ear, "so, what do you like to do for fun? Other than clean..." Levi's cheeks blush as he avoids eye contact and Erwin watches as he twiddles his fingers, occasionally playing with the hem of his shirt, "Hey it's okay if that's what you like to do-" 

"It's not," Levi interrupts, his voice has lowered to a whisper and Erwin watches him fidget on the blankets, "I mean...it's not the only thing I like to do. The other things I like...people think they're weird."

Erwin feels something twist in his gut because Levi looks uncomfortable and the way his voice becomes quieter with each word makes him sad. He doesn't want Levi to feel like he's other people and he doesn't want Levi to think he's going to reject him for the things he likes. Erwin has experience with this type of rejection so he wouldn't dare try to make someone else feel that way. He also doesn't like that this is something he and Levi have in common, he feels a twinge of anger build but is able to let it pass...for now. Everything about Levi to Erwin is the exact opposite of weird, more curious than anything, and he wants to make sure that Levi knows that, but he doesn't exactly know how to do that...yet. He rummages through his brain and tries to find the words to make Levi feel like he's safe and force Levi to understand that he isn't going to judge him.

"I made up this game that's like war and I use the rotten fruits from my backyard as guts for my fallen soldiers," Erwin admits with an awkward smile and blushing cheeks.

Levi stares at him, his eyes slightly wider and his nose is a little scrunched before he starts giggling.

Erwin stares for a moment because Levi is _laughing_ and he loves the sound so he continues, "some times I act like a giant monster and I squash the fruits with my feet," Levi cringes but he's still laughing so Erwin continues, "there was this one time where I stomped on an apple and a bunch of bugs came out. That turned into a zombie outbreak that almost took most of my men," Erwin giggles as Levi covers his mouth to hush his laughter, "my mom wasn't really happy when she saw a bunch of my toys in rotten apple guts but it was a war story that I will never forget." Erwin's ears are hot to the touch as Levi continues to giggle at his confession. This is exactly what Erwin wanted and he hopes that Levi feels at least a little more comfortable being around Erwin.

Levi finally quiets his giggling and shakes his head at Erwin, "that's kind of scary." Erwin shrugs his shoulders and Levi giggles in response, "okay, so, I like...," he takes a deep breath, glancing between the fabric between his fidgeting fingers and a blushing Erwin, "I like to have...tea parties..."

Erwin outwardly gasps which causes Levi to jump and his eyes to widen, "I've always wanted to know what those were like!" He exclaims while scooting closer to Levi, "do you have one of those fancy sets that look like they're made of glass? "

Levi isn't sure what to do considering Erwin didn't even flinch and more so, he's _asking_ about more details. This has never happened before and there's a part of him that feels like a trap but at the same time, he's relieved to know that even though Erwin's playtime is vastly different than his, he's wildly interested in Levi's, "um, well yeah...I have a few..."

"You have more than one?! Lucky!" Erwin cries while chuckling, "someday can we have a tea party? Do you make those tiny sandwiches? I've always wanted to try those. What's your favorite tea? I'm not sure I have a favorite but I like the ginger tea my mom makes."

Levi blinks at a rambling Erwin, he's a little in shock that he's so willing to participate in something that he's usually judged for. He tried to include other kids at Daycare not too long ago and the boys laughed at him while the girls tried to take away the only teacup they had in the toy bin. In their battle over the cup, it ended up falling on the floor and cracking. The girls blamed Levi for the incident and since then, he's kept this part of him a secret, too afraid to admit the things he likes out of fear that someone will try to snatch it away, but not this time. This time there's someone who wants to a part of the things he enjoys and surprisingly, Levi wants to open that door for Erwin.

"My favorite tea is black tea." He smiles as Erwin listens with an intense gaze, Levi continues to twiddle with any piece of fabric that's in his reach, "you're responsible for the fruit, okay?"

Erwin blinks a few times before he registers what Levi means and fist pumps the air out of excitement, "yes!" He giggles and so does Levi. They sit and talk about things like what food is acceptable at a tea party and that manners are important but Levi is going to be relaxed on those things for Erwin, for now. Levi even asks about Erwin's fruit war and sort of hints that he wants to know what that's like in real-time. He does think it's rather messy but he wants to at least give it a shot since Erwin is so willing to engage in something he likes. They talk, giggle and tease each other until Kuchel announces that they need to return home to unpack and settle in. 

Erwin and Elayne walk them back to their house to find an empty moving truck and two slumped grown men sprawled onto two lawn chairs. Kenny and Leon finished unpacking the truck and treated themselves to an afternoon drink as a reward. Somehow Kenny convinced Leon to drink and now he can’t hold himself up. He’s always been a lightweight and Elayne can’t even remember the last time he's so much as sniffed alcohol. After some shared giggles between the mothers and their sons at the foolishness of the two men, Leon has to use Elayne as a crutch to get back to his house. Erwin watches in amazement because he’s never seen his dad drunk. Levi watches with a shaking head, having too many incidences where his mother has had to drag Kenny into the house because he’s so plastered.

“Thank you, for your help and the refreshments,” Kuchel says before The Smiths make their departure, “please let us know if you need anything, and Erwin,” she says, earning his attention, “thank you for being Levi’s friend, I know he’s not easy-”

“ _Mom_ ,” Levi grumbles with flushed cheeks as he attempts to shove her so she doesn’t finish her sentence.

Erwin blissfully laughs as he walks backward, nearly skipping with excitement, “see you later, Levi! Next time, I’m bringing cherries!”

With a wave from Erwin and a huff from a blushing Levi, they depart, but it’s only less than 12 hours that they are back in each other's presence. Erwin did bring cherries along with his bright smile while Levi bashfully brought two plates from one of his tea sets for them to discard their cherry seeds and stems. Much to Levi’s pleasure, he didn’t have to worry if the fruit was clean or not. 


End file.
